Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Hayden's mouth hung open, wide enough to fit an egg.

The vice-captain had returned.

No way. Was this real? Could such miracles actually happen in this world?

The captain and vice-captain were both alive!

Excitedly, he turned his head and asked, "Serena, what does the vice-captain look like now?"

"You wouldn't understand. I was totally smitten with her back then but never got many chances to see her."

Tina tilted her chin slightly. "You can just go up to her now and ask for an autograph. I can wait."

That is, if he wasn't afraid of Courtney killing him for it.

Hayden, hearing this, immediately shrank his neck and waved his hands. "I wouldn't dare!"

"Back in the day, the vice-captain was known as the softest-looking yet most ruthless person in X Bureau. I'm satisfied just to see her from afar. I don't ask for anything else."

Tina chuckled at him. "I've never seen you so afraid of my mom."

"That's different. The captain doesn't bother with these things and is always kind to us juniors. But the vice-captain? A whole other story."

Even now, Hayden broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about when he first joined X Bureau.

"Oh, so you've met her before?"

Hayden shook his head. "Not personally, but I've heard stories. They say the vice- captain once interrogated a first-degree criminal. One moment, she was gently presenting evidence for them to sign. The next moment, when they refused, she sliced off a certain part of their body..."

Tina raised an eyebrow.

No wonder her mom liked her. Clearly, they were the same kind of people.

Hayden swallowed hard. "And that wasn't the worst of it. The key part is that she had a wolf brought in and fed it that... thing... right in front of the criminal. If they still wouldn't talk, she would keep cutting, forcing them to watch their own body parts get eaten piece by piece."

"The whole process didn't take more than ten minutes. The criminal confessed to everything."

Tina: "..."

She had to admit, she had been seriously underestimating Aunt Thaliana.

How could someone with such a gentle and feminine face commit these acts while smiling?

It could only be said-like attracts like.

She knew her mom's influence well.

Jared, who had been silent this whole time, couldn't help but think of something.

He exchanged a glance with Tina, their mutual understanding so strong that she instantly knew what her uncle was thinking.

She shook her head at him. "If it were what you're thinking, Courtney would've noticed already."

Jared's gaze darkened.

The closer someone is, the easier it is for emotions to cloud judgment.

What had been happening recently made him wary of anyone trying to get close to Tina.

Anyone.

Tina knew what her uncle was worrying about, but Aunt Thaliana wasn't just anyone. Besides, she hadn't sensed anything amiss.

"Uncle, don't worry. We'll call my parents later and tell them about this. If my mom finds out, she'll definitely catch the next flight back."

Other than Courtney, her mom was the one who knew Aunt Thaliana best in this world.

If it were true or false, she'd see through it at a glance.

Jared sighed. "Your parents aren't in their old positions anymore. Even X Bureau can't reach them."

Tina blinked. "Then it looks like we'll have to wait until Brandon's engagement day to tell her."

Brandon's engagement was about a week away.

There was no rush-they could talk face-to-face then.

Jared knew she had her own reasons for this. He also hoped this person wasn't who he feared they might be.

After all, being part of X Bureau, he understood that person even better than Tina did. On the way back, Jared received a call and headed to the company.

Hayden, however, started complaining to Tina about the engagement day, recalling how he'd been the target of jealousy among his brothers over who was their mentor's favorite disciple.

Thinking about it now, Hayden felt a little emotional. "Our mentor could've just put me forward directly. Why let the others fight over it? It's ridiculous."

Tina's lips twitched. She looked at the man ahead, whose grin was so wide it couldn't be suppressed.

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Rolling her eyes, she asked, "What did you give our mentor as a gift?"

Hayden froze. The next second, meeting Tina's gaze in the rearview mirror, he dared not hide anything.

Sheepishly, he explained, "I noticed our mentor has been into rare and ancient books lately. I happened to spot some authentic ones at an auction, so I bought them for him."

"They weren't... too expensive."

Tina: "..."

Not expensive?

Auctioned authentic rare books-tell me, which one of those isn't expensive?

And did he really not know, or was he just pretending to be clueless?

The Serenity Ridge library was already so full of books that the dust there could practically bury them alive.

Did their mentor actually care about the books?

If converted into cash, even ten crates wouldn't be enough to hold it all.

No way would the old man ever let go of such a treasure.

The recipient knew exactly what he was doing, while the giver clearly had a screw

loose.

Tina sneered. "Hayden, care to explain why the clothes you gave us didn't come with any boxes?"

Hayden: "..."

He knew it. Serena never asked questions without a reason.

"Serena, I didn't want Jared to get jealous, okay?"

With Jared not around, he could only use him as a scapegoat.

Fingers crossed that Jared's status would work here.

The next second, Tina shattered his hopes. "Uncle wouldn't care."noveldrama

"Besides, it's a gift, not a bomb. Why would he reject it?"

Hayden swallowed nervously, trying not to read too much into her words. Forcing a smile, he assured her, "If Serena wants, I'll head to the auction tomorrow and get something identical to what I gave our mentor."

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"No need to bother. Just transfer the money you spent on his gift to me instead."

Hayden's heart bled. His money.

Tina wasn't done yet. "Oh, and if the amount is too large, go to the bank and wire it. Checks work, too."

Hayden felt like crying.

He'd rather Serena beat him up. A hundred times, a thousand times-he'd take it.

But his money... He'd been saving it up to get married.

He never realized how expensive marriage would be until the engagement.

When they finally got back home, Tina was about to head inside when she suddenly

received a call from her uncle.

"Uncle, what's wrong?"

"Tina, your grandfather is sick. Can you come over?"

"Grandfather is sick?!"

Tina froze. "What are his symptoms?"

Jared sighed on the other end. "Not sure. He came to the company today and scolded

me for half an hour. When he got back, he complained of chest pain and locked himself in his room. He hasn't had a drop of water all day."

The more Tina listened, the more confused she became. "I can't make sense of this over the phone. I'll come over."

She turned and stopped Hayden, who was just about to leave. "Hayden, come back!" Hayden thought Serena had softened and quickly reversed the car. Before he could speak, Tina got in and instructed, "To Farrell Manor."

Hayden froze. "What happened?"

Tina fastened her seatbelt and gestured for him to drive. "Logan is sick, and Uncle is there."

"What?"

Hayden stepped on the gas, forgetting his own troubles entirely. "Is it serious?"

Tina glanced at him. "What do you think? He hasn't had a drop of water since this morning."

Hayden pressed his lips together as an unwelcome thought crept into his mind. "Serena, could Logan be..."